Sunday Feb. 7, 20162-5pmLocation: Karma TeachersSuggested donation: $15-30 (No one will be turned away due to lack of funds)Registration: Write Juniper an emailwith subject line "GIY" - the message body can be blank.

Grief can be experienced as a result of many different circumstances over the course of one's life. Grief Integration Yoga addresses the physical, mental, and emotional aspects of the grief journey using yogic techniques from the Ashtanga and Kundalini lineages. The practice includes asana (physical poses), pranayama (breath work), and meditation practices (including mantra), as well as an opening and closing circle to nurture all participants as we explore feeling into grief in a safe and inclusive space.

Grief is a normal, healthy, complex, and inevitable part of the human experience – and yet, the experience of being “bereaved” (literally, “torn apart”) is the closest that many will come to feeling as if they're losing grip on reality and all that is familiar. Everyone has the right to grieve in their own way, in their own time; each individual's process is as unique as they are. And yet, there are several qualities of experience that are common during this time, such as tightness in the chest or difficulty breathing; lack of ability to focus; generalized anxiety; insomnia or inability to sleep through the night; and physical fatigue. The complex emotions that are part of the grief journey are often experienced as bodily sensations; we mourn from the inside out. Therefore, when we care for ourselves holistically using the toolbox that yoga offers, we can more easily integrate our experiences physically, emotionally, and mentally.

Benefits of the practice include: a calm mind; an easeful body; increased flow of lymph in the joints, enhancing the immune system which is often compromised by stress; freeing energy blockages in the meridians/nervous system to aid the processing of difficult emotions; and the opportunity to be in your truth in a safe, sacred, non-denominational, and inclusive space that embraces the complexity of big feelings.

Learn the GIY technique to cope, prepare yourself for the inevitable future, or to pass on to someone you love. All classes and workshops include the gift of a pamphlet outlining the practice, and suggestions for individual adaptations so you can take control of your experience during this intensely transformative time.

May this afternoon find us all coming into union as many threads woven into the web of life, for the benefit of ourselves and all whose lives we touch. ♥